Creative director Stacy Pascal Gaspard teamed up with photographer Val Vega to create Mami Tierra, a socially-distant shoot that plays with the concept of Mother Nature and Mother Earth, a mythical feminine entity woven with beauty and strength.
Feeling invisible in Latinx spaces, knowing 44% of ICE detainees are Haitian immigrants, as well as seeing the devastating hardships of minorities affected by COVID, all amidst the surging Black Lives Matter movement, I felt every facet of my being affected in every way I could imagine. In the midst of all of this chaos, at the supposed eye of this hurricane, I couldn’t possibly say what was on my mind with the written word, so I rebuilt upon a foundation of imagery. As two women from the Carribean, we found it fitting to flaunt our love of luscious landscapes and vibrant colors throughout this series. Just like Mother Nature, there are seasons that pass, a constant current of change. I am steadily becoming more unapologetic, not only for the space I occupy but for the spaces where my words are heard and my breath is supported.
Stacy Pascal Gaspard
Model: Stacy Pascal Gaspard (@stacycouture) Website: https://stacypascalgaspardfilm.carrd.co/
Stacy Pascal Gaspard is currently a Directing Fellow at the AFI Conservatory and a Development Intern at MACRO. Initially a Pre-Med student at Nova Southeastern University, she went on to double major in Theatre and Media Communications — the first in her family to earn her Bachelor’s in the US. On the screen, Stacy strives to share her rich vibrant Caribbean and Afro Latinx culture and the intersectionality of Black girlhood. The oldest sibling of 5, raised by her single Haitian mother and grandmother, Stacy Pascal Gaspard doesn’t take her dreams lightly, and doesn’t think you should either.
Photographer: Val Vega (@iamvalvega) Website: https://www.valvega.com
Val Vega was born in MayagĂĽez, Puerto Rico. Once out of high school, she decided to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles. After a few years, she became disappointed in the type of roles that she was auditioning for. She then embarked on a journey to create her own, and taught herself photography and filmmaking.
